AND2BLE Aims to Take Listeners Back to the 2010s With Their Debut Release

Trot, a traditional Korean pop genre, is currently popular, and a new group has introduced a newtro renaissance of vintage pop that makes K-pop feel contemporary by using fewer bombastic elements and vocal grandstanding. AND2BLE, pronounced “And-Double”, aims to take listeners back to third-generation K-pop.

For AND2BLE, looking backward also serves as a path forward. The five members have previously performed in other groups, as Zhang Hao, Ricky, Kim Gyuvin, and Han Yujin debuted in ZEROBASEONE after competing on the survival show Boys Planet, while Yoo Seungeon finished 16th on the show and subsequently debuted in EVNNE. When ZEROBASEONE completed its project contract, the four YH Entertainment members left the group, and Seungeon similarly departed EVNNE. All five have now regrouped under YH as AND2BLE.

Their debut release, Sequence 01: Curiosity, is a five-track, roughly 14-minute project that recreates the style of past K-pop music from an era when boy groups sounded vocally athletic and overdramatic without neo-futuristic elements, while AND2BLE focuses heavily on the voice.

Seungeon provides clarity and high-register power, while Hao supplies a steadier and warmer counterweight. Ricky delivers softer, R&B-leaning vocals that alter the texture of a song, and Gyuvin and Yujin round out the middle with smoother, understated tones.

The title track, “Curious”, features synth-pop and future-house production with a thick bass foundation, hard-edged EDM percussion, and an anthemic hook anchored by Seungeon and Hao. Co-written by Hao and Ricky, the song addresses the instability of a new beginning with the lyric start anew, with no limits. The members have previous experience with survival shows, established identities in other groups, and existing audiences.

“Aura” opens into a pop-R&B soundscape featuring synths and hushed vocals. The song centers on attraction and personal magnetism, highlighted by the lyrics, I’ll show you piece by piece, everything / You’ve never seen a brand new era / All I’ve got, aura / I can make it alright for ya.

“Sugar Rush” offers a brighter, bubblegum groove. While “Curious” emphasizes ambition and “Aura” focuses on mystique, “Sugar Rush” highlights momentum and physical attraction.

Using the sleek dance-pop production associated with the members’ previous groups, “Sugar Rush” functions as a reminder that reinvention does not require completely discarding past sounds.

“Bed” serves as a metaphor for dreams and highlights the group’s vocal architecture. The track begins with restraint from Zhang Hao before expanding into pop-R&B with the lyric, Frame to contain your dreams / Baby you can take my hand.

The final track, “Happy &”, shifts the emotional tone with a warmer alternative-pop foundation and communal singalong elements, featuring songwriting contributions from Hao and Gyuvin.

The sequencing of the tracks follows a progression: “Curious” questions starting anew, “Aura” establishes presence, “Sugar Rush” embraces pleasure, “Bed” removes spectacle, and “Happy &” turns toward supporters.

Rather than focusing on nostalgia, the album centers on independence, prioritizing the voice and narrative storytelling.

AND2BLE’s involvement in the songwriting is shown through Hao and Ricky’s contributions to “Curious”, Ricky’s work on “Aura”, and Hao and Gyuvin’s writing credits on “Happy &”, although most of the production remains collaborative and outsourced as standard for idol pop.

These credits demonstrate that the members are active participants rather than just performers. Sequence 01: Curiosity presents independence through inheritance, as AND2BLE incorporates elements of K-pop history into their own work.

The record reflects reverence for third-generation conventions, and its brevity leaves some ideas underexplored. However, the compact tracklist of Sequence 01 indicates that AND2BLE is continuing to define their identity.